Meant to Be Together: The Story of Paloma & Jacob
by lighthope
Summary: *Complete!* [Chapters 10-12 + epilogue up] Jacob is Charity's younger brother... Paloma is Miguel's younger sister. They find out that their lives are intertwined forever... and their bond is tested many times. Rated PG-13 for later chapters. Please r/r!
1. Prologue: Jacob

Meant to Be Together:

The Story of Paloma and Jacob

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Passions, or Miguel, Charity, Jessica, Reese, Kay, Grace, Tabitha… etc, so don't sue me, I'm just borrowing them. However, I DO own Jacob Standish, so please don't use him without my permission.

I also did not write the Paloma chapters, so don't give me the credit for it. All Paloma chapters (odd numbered chapters) are written by my friend Kara, and all Jacob chapters are written by me. Now. Since we've gotten that settled, let's go on to the story…

Prologue: Jacob

            I was sitting in the living room of my foster parents' home, watching Titanic for about… oh, the fiftieth time. Then that classic line came up again.

            _"You're the most amazing, astounding, wonderful girl—woman—that I've ever known."_

            I wished that I could say that to someone. Sure, I'm a little young (I'm only fifteen), but… I don't know. I'm lonely. I mean, I've only knwn my foster family for a couple of weeks now. I'm always on the move, looking for my sister, whom I haven't seen in almost a year. Let me tell you my story.

~*~

::Flashback::

_            I was at softball camp, thinking about the letter I had just received from my sister, Charity. Just then, I was called into the main office. "Jacob," Mr. Sullivan, the director of the camp, said, in a solemn tone, "there's been a fire at your house."_

_            "What? Are my mother and sister okay?"_

_            "Charity is just fine. But your mother… your mother's body hasn't been found. They believe her to be dead. I'm so sorry."_

_            I collapsed into a chair. "I can't believe it. My mother's dead, I don't have a home… where is my sister?"_

_            "We don't know."_

::Reality::

~*~

            Let me tell you this: I'm special. Not to sound conceited or anything, but you don't meet people with powers every day. Yeah, I said powers. Like Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Michael, Max and Isabel… (if you don't know who they are, I suggest you start watching Charmed and Roswell. [AN: This was written in the summer of 2000, so those characters were on their respective shows at the time. =)]) But this is real life. I have powers because my family has been fighting evil for generations. You want to know what I can do? I can freeze time and people (like Piper). I can heal people (like Max), I can sense things that people try to hide, I can sense evil, and sometimes I get visions (like Phoebe).

            And you thought that was cool? That doesn't even compare to what my sister can do. Charity has the real powers. She just doesn't know it yet… because she has amnesia. I know, I know, I just said I haven't seen Angel (my nickname for Charity) in almost a year, but I have ESP with my sister. I can read her mind, and she can read mine. She doesn't remember me though. Anyway, she's the one that the evil forces have been prophesizing about for generations. She's been destined since birth to destroy every evil force in the world. I know she's scared. I know she knows she's different, but she doesn't know why. That's why I have to find her.

~*~

            So anyway, I was watching Titanic, and then… I saw a flash of light, and then an angel. "So Mom was right," I breathed. My mother had told Angel and me about a little girl—an angel—that has watched over the Standish family for like, forever. I had just never seen her before, and now here she was. I was awestruck.

            "Charity?" I asked. "She needs me?"

            The angel nodded. "The evil is coming after her. The battle has begun, Jacob. Good and evil are fighting for your sister's soul. She needs you. They need you."

            "But where do I find her? Where is she?"

            "She's with Grace," the angel told me. "Find Grace. And be careful." And with that, she disappeared. I got up and started to pace. "Grace? Did she mean Aunt Grace? She's alive?" I asked to myself. "Where is she?" Just then, I saw something…

~*~

::Premonition::

_            "Oh, Miguel, it's beautiful," Angel says. They boy with her smiles and says, "Just like you." They kiss and smile, then walk hand in hand past a sign that says "Harmony."_

::Reality::

~*~

            "I know where to go now," I said, to no one in particular. So I went to pack up my stuff and headed for a place called Harmony.

Please review! This is just the prologue, so it's going to get into Paloma later. More to come… there are 12 chapters plus the epilogue…


	2. Chapter 1: Paloma

Meant to Be Together:

The Story of Paloma and Jacob

[AN: Just to let you all know, this story was written in the summer of 2000, so it's a bit old. The Charity in this story is the REAL Charity, not some stupid fake Zombie or whatever. Jake, Poe, and Jessica are all sophomores as the story starts… but then it progresses and that's what you get to read. =) And remember I did not write the Poe chapters, my friend Kara did, and I believe she's on FFN somewhere… and the chapters are very short in nature, so don't throw your shoes at me! I'll try to get them up as soon as I can, figuring they're so short… okay now read, review, and enjoy!]

~*~

Chapter 1: Paloma

(All Poe chapters written by Kara)

          I step off the plane, overwhelmed with the smell of coffee and cigarettes, plastic and perfume. As I look around for my family, I see throngs of teenagers in gothic clothing, skinny blonde models, men with receding hairlines and beer bellies, but no one I know. I'd forgotten how much I missed them all: Mamma, Luis, Theresa, Miguel, Jessica. The dance had taken over my mind those few months in Mexico.

          "Prima!"

          I spin around, knowing exactly who it is. I turn to see my second-to-oldest brother Luis and I run to him. He cathes me in his arms and whirls me around like he did when I was little. "Weesie!" I cry, hugging him while throwing my other arm around Mamma. "I missed you so much!"

          "PALOMA!" My older sister Theresa throws herself at me and we hug. I'm caught up in a bevy of my family members, hugging and kissing. "Mija, you're so thin!" Mamma says. "Mamma, it's because of the dance. In one corps de ballet I lose four pounds. But I'm ready for some good old Mexican food!" I hug my mother again and study her face. She looks so happy, but the little lines that etched her beautiful face when Pappa and Tony went away are more prominent. Soon I'm in Miguel's arms, but I notice a girl standing beside my best friend of all my life, Jessica Bennett. She has blonde hair and hazel eyes. "Paloma, this is Charity. Charity, this is my baby sister Paloma Maria Lopez-Fitzgerald."

          "Or Poe. Or Ketchup, Poe-Doll, or Prima." Jessica adds. I throw myself into her arms and hug her hard. "Did you miss me?" I ask her. "Oh my God, did I ever!" I smile at Charity and she flashes me a bright smile. "Wow, Ellie, your girlfriend is really pretty." I say. "Ellie?" Charity asks, looking at Miguel and smiling. "That's what Poe calls me," Miguel tells her. "I remember someone calling me Angel. I wish I could remember who it was. Someone very close to me, but not my mother."

          "She lost her memory," Jessica tells me. "In the big fire that killed her mother."

          "Theresa wrote about it to me." I say. "Aunt Maria sends her love to all of you, especially to you, Mamma. She loves the dress you sent her, Theresa, and wears it to all of my performances. Luis, she congratulates you on being a great bodyguard to the most eligible heiress in the world, and she hopes Miguel will keep on working at his building stuff."

          Luis stands wiever," he groans. I laugh at him and he smiles at me. "C'mon, let's go." I say, and head off with my family back to Harmony.

~*~

          Later that day, back in my attic studio/room with the posters of famous ballerinas on the walls, the homemade canopy, and my old toys in the closet, I sit with Jessica and she tells me everything going on in Harmony. "Kay's still trying to get Miguel, he still has NO clue, and Paloma, I still like Reese," she confides. "But he doesn't notice me. Only Kay."

          "Do you think you're going to tell him?"

          "Not yet. I need your help." "Jessica, let's get out of here. Let's go to the beach." I say. I change into a white dress with light fabric that flutters when I move, like a butterfly's wings, and clings to my curves. My black hair with the slight curl hangs down and my dark blue eyes like my father's sparkle. "Let's go."

          The beach is sparkling with moonlight over the dark blue waves, and the tide rushes in softly to lap over our feet. We're talking and looking out into the ocean when I bump into something and fly straight into strong male arms. I look up to see the bluest eyes I've ever seen and smile softly. "Sorry," I say. 


	3. Chapter 2: Jacob

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 2: Jacob

          A few days later, I arrive in Harmony. It seems like a nice little town, like the one I used to live in with my mother and Angel. Speaking of which, my first train of thought was to find her. I wander through the whole town and don't find her, so I decide to go to the beach, to think. Right as I arrive a girl about my age trips and I catch her. "Sorry," she says, smiling softly. 

"It's okay," I reply, also softly. Her eyes capture me instantly. 

"Thank you. If I had fallen and broken something... that would be some tragedy," she mumbles.

"Why?"

"Because I'm a dancer," she tells me. "An aspiring dancer."

I nod knowingly. "Anyway, do you know anyone named Charity? I'm looking for her."

"Actually, yeah, I know someone named Charity. She's my brother's girlfriend. Why?" the girl asks. 

"Because she's my sister, and I have something really important to tell her," I say. 

The girl's pretty eyes widen, but she doesn't say anything. Just then I realize that I'm still holding on to her, so I let go. "Sorry," I tell her.

"Oh... it's okay." Then she turns and calls to the other girl on the beach, "Jess! Come here!"

Another girl with shoulder-length reddish brown hair walks up to us. "What's up, Poe?"

"Meet your new cousin... what's your name?" the other girl (I guess her name is Poe) says, trying to introduce me to Jessica, who's my cousin...

"Jacob. Jacob Standish. And I'm guessing that you're Jessica."

Jessica nods. "If you're Charity's brother," she begins.

"Which I most certainly am," I cut in.

She smiles. "Then we're cousins," she tells me. "Your mother and my mother were twins. But you know what happened to her, right?"

I sigh. "Yeah... so Charity's living with you and Aunt Grace?"

"Uh-huh. And this is my best friend in the whole world, Paloma Lopez-Fitzgerald, whom you so bravely saved from a broken leg, arm, or something to that effect."

"I'm also known as Poe, Poe-girl, Poe-doll, Prima, or Ketchup," Paloma says, smiling. Her smile lights up her whole face, I notice. I also notice how very pretty she is, how tall she is, and how thin she is. I can't seem to take my eyes off of her.

I laugh. "Hey. Nice to meet you."

"You, too," the girls chorus, in unison. I smile. "Anyway, you told me that you're looking for Charity? I bet she's at my house," Poe tells me. "She and Ellie--that's my brother--are inseparable."

"Is he good to my sister?" I ask. "He better be."

"Oh, Miguel loves Charity to death. He's devoted to her."

"Okay, good. Can I see Angel?" 

"I don't see why not," Poe says. "Come on, we'll take you there." As I follow my two new friends, I get a premonition... well, sort of. A song drifts through the air and I see two people dancing, but it's very hazy.

::Premonition::

_ "Jake, I wish I could come with you."_

_ "Prima, you can't. It's too dangerous. Besides, you have your dancing, and I know you love that more than anything."_

_ "But not as much as I love you. Jake, please be careful. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you."_

_ "I will be. I just have one question for you... are you gonna be there for me when I need you the most?"_

(Are you gonna be there when the rain comes?  
Are you gonna be there with a wrong turn?  
Can you swear you'll be there with a real love?  
Are you gonna be there?  
Will you stay by my side through the bad times?  
Through whatever will be, will you still be mine?  
Will you stay in my life for a lifetime?  
Are you gonna be there?)

_ "I'll be there, Jake. I promise. I know it's going to be hard on both of us, but I'll be there for you, if you're there for me." _

::Reality:: 

Wow. I guess Paloma and I have some journey to take... and it's only just beginning...


	4. Chapter 3: Paloma

I don't take credit for this chapter… credit karadarlin on this one. And yes, it's not the best writing that neither of us have done, so leave us alone. Oh, and we don't own Passions or anything like that either… but I do own Jacob Standish.

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 3: Paloma

"I think she's at my house," I say, looking at his eyes, so like Charity's. "She won't remember you. She has a slight form of amnesia and can only remember bits before the fire, like my brother and clips of her mother. But you never know."           Jake follows us to my house. "I live here with my mother, my older brother Luis, he's twenty-eight; Theresa, my sister, who's eighteen, and Miguel, who's sixteen. My oldest brother Antonio and my father left our family when I was very little." I inform him. I point to my room/studio in the attic. "There's my bedroom and my dance studio. I pretty much live there, or at Jessica's." 

          "Paloma just got back from Mexico," Jessica tells Jake. 

          "I was with my aunt. She helped out with my ballet... she was once a ballet star herself. Maria Lopez?" I say, knowing he doesn't know. "That's her." 

          "Cool," Jake remarks. I take his hand and lead him inside. "Miguel? Are you here?" 

          "Yeah!" Miguel hollers back. "What do ya want, Ketchup? Is Mustard with you?" 

          "Yeah. And someone else too." 

          "Who? It isn't a boy trying to steal my sister's heart, is it?" Luis asks, coming into the entry and grinning. 

          "Luis, this is Jacob Standish, Charity's brother. Jake, this is my brother Luis." 

          "Miguel and Charity are playing video games in the next room." Luis says, nodding his head towards the family area. Jessica and I exchange smiles and we head to the family room. 

          "Get your heads outta that game," I demand, laughing. They look up from their Mario Kart battle and Charity's eyes grow big. 

          "You're that boy!" she says. "The one in my dreams!"   
          "Who is this?" Miguel asks me.   
          "I'm Jacob Standish... Charity's younger brother," Jake introduces himself. 

          "I knew it! I knew there was someone out there, someone close to me," Charity tells us, looking at him, searching for traces of herself. "You have the same powers, don't you?" 

          "What?" I ask, looking incredulously at Jake, then to Charity, then back. He explains, "Charity, Aunt Grace, my mom, Jessica's brother Noah, and I are all....well, we have some special kind of power against evil. Your mother, Jessica, doesn't remember this and Charity, you must just be getting twinges of your memory back. When Charity comes into her full powers, she will fight the evil." 

          _That's what that dream was about, I think to myself. __The one with the music and the two people dancing. _

~*~  
(next day)

          "What happened?" I ask Jessica the next day. "Where's Jake staying?" 

          "At the Bed and Breakfast, next to Uncle Hank," she informs me. "Mom, Dad, and Kay were pretty surprised!" 

          "Hey, we were too," I say, playing with the bottom of my pink tank top. Jessica and I were in my attic room, looking at the rain falling on my skylights. 

          "Paloma! Jake's here!" Mamma announces. I let him into my room and he looks around. "Pretty big place you have here." 

          "I had to fight Luis for it," I say, and he laughs.  
          "You have a really close family."  
          "We have to stick together. We live on love."  
          "Oh." 

          "Dance, ballerina, dance, and do your pirouette in rhythm with your aching heart!" Jessica suddenly starts to sing and I stand up and grab my pointe shoes, singing along with the childhood song. 

_"Dance, ballerina, dance,   
you musn't once forget a dancer has to dance the part.   
Once you said his love must wait its turn,   
you wanted fame instead, I guess that's your concern   
We live and learn... and love is gone, Ballerina, gone...."_

          "Whoa, where'd you get that?" 

          "One of my music boxes played it," I tell Jake. "We sing it all the time." 

          "Now really dance," he orders me. I tie up the laces on my pointe shoes and do some plies to warm up. Jessica puts on the music, a song by Tchikovsky, and I dance. 

          When I dance, I forget the world, everyone in it, and everything. I am on air, in the sky, whirling in the arms of my lover-prince, who jetes so powerfully the world shakes and he can carry me like a feather. I don't notice the music has stopped and I'm dancing to the music in my head. Their applause pulls me out of my trance, but I see the vision of my prince: Jake. 

~*~  
(a year later)

          I am sitting in the audience, watching Miguel, Charity, Kay, Reese, and Simone graduate from high school, with Jake and Jessica on my sides. I squeeze Jake's hand and we all exchange proud smiles. I have been accepted to Julliard, and I will probably finish my schooling there, though I'm reluctant to leave Harmony. 

          That night, I lie awake in my bed, thinking about the graduates at Sam Bennett's resort in East Maine, and what they're doing. Suddenly, Jake comes running into my room and lightning crashes. "What's wrong?" I ask, noticing his soaked body. 


	5. Chapter 4: Jacob

Disclaimer: See previous chapters. It's there somewhere.

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 4: Jacob

The moment the storm starts, I realize that all hell is about to break loose.  I know where Charity is and what she's doing… not that I really want to know what she's doing. Then I realize I'm going to have to go soon, and I'm going to have to tell Poe, too. I rush over to her house, and Theresa lets me in. "Hey, Jake. Here to see Poe?" 

"Yeah. I really have to talk to her, Theresa." 

"Go right ahead. I'm not stopping you," she says, smiling. 

          "Thanks, Theresa." I run up the all too familiar staircase to Paloma's room and rush in. 

"Jake? What's wrong?" she asks, sitting up in her bed. "You're all wet." Poe rushes around to find me a towel and hands it to me. 

"Thanks," I say, taking the towel and drying myself off. "Poe, we need to talk. It's serious. Otherwise I wouldn't have come here right away." 

"Okay," she agrees, taking my hand. "What do you need to tell me?" 

"It's Charity. She's come into her full powers." 

          "She has? Whoa… so we know what they've been doing," Poe says, winking. But I don't smile, and she notices. "Okay, Jake, I'm sorry." 

"No, no, it's not you… but I have to go soon," I tell her, sadly. "And I don't want to, we've only been together a year and a half… I don't want to leave you here." 

"Then take me with you," she suggests, stroking my cheek. "I don't want to leave you either, and I can put my dancing on hold if you need me to." 

"Prima, no. I know you love your dancing more than anything. Besides, even if you were willing to put your dancing on hold—" 

"Jake, I'd be more than willing, if it came to you," she tells me. 

"You still can't come. Believe me, I would take you if I could, but I can't. I can't risk your life along with mine." I sigh and put my head in my hands, but Poe yanks my arm and forces me to look at her. "Did you say that your life will be in danger? Then I have to come with you!" she exclaims. "I don't want anything to happen to you." 

"It's not that simple," I say, stroking her hair. "Remember when I told everyone that Charity and I have powers?" Poe nods. "And I said…" 

"…that when Charity comes into her full powers, she'll have to fight the evil," Poe finishes. "So that means… you have to fight the evil… oh God, Jake, please be careful," she says, hugging me. 

"Well, I don't have to go yet," I tell her. "Believe it or not, I have to come into my full powers too. Not that I'm going to get a lot more powers…" I trail off. 

"Like you don't have enough already," Poe says, grinning. She's seen firsthand the things I can do, if I'm provoked. I only use my powers when I really need to, and there have been several times when I've had to. "But my powers are going to be a lot stronger than they are now." 

Poe seems to be in thought. "Jake, I have to leave tomorrow," she says, suddenly. 

"That soon?" I'm shocked. "I mean, I knew you were going to leave soon, but tomorrow? Can't they wait?" 

"I'm sorry… I didn't want to go either, but—" 

"I know, Prima. This is your opportunity of a lifetime and I'm not going to take it away from you." 

"Jacob, you are so understanding. I still can't get over it." Paloma smiles, and seeing her smile makes me smile. "Well, believe it, because it's true." I kiss her forehead. "But Prima… you realize this may be the last time we ever see each other?" 

Her eyes widen in shock. "What?" 

          "I mean, I'm going to be up against the forces of evil, Poe. With Charity, Noah, and Aunt Grace on my side, we're going to be strong, but still, we may not be able to defeat them…" 

"No, you can't let that happen," Poe pleads. "Don't let them take you." 

"I'll try," I promise her. "I'll do it for you." 

Poe smiles weakly. Then we just sit there, in sad silence, until we both say, "I have something to ask you." 

We both laugh. "You first," she tells me. 

"I can't ask you now. How about we meet tomorrow and I ask you there?" 

"Okay," Poe says, nodding. "Meet me here and I'll take you somewhere." 

I nod. "Will do. Anyway, I have to go home and gain my strength. The world will be coming close to armageddon soon…so I'll see you tomorrow, dancing queen?" 

"Yes. Jake, I love you." Poe looks close to crying. "Be careful." 

"I will be." I kiss her gently. "I have to go now," I whisper. "I love you." With that, I walk out of her room, and take one last look at her. She's collapsed on her bed, and I can hear her soft cries from where I stand.  With a heavy heart, I slowly walk away.


	6. Chapter 5: Paloma

Note: I don't take credit for this chapter… it's all Kara, though she doesn't really want to admit it now. So our writing isn't all that great here. We have better fics, so go read those too. Anyways, read on.

**chapter rated PG-13 for suggestive content**

song credits: "Are You Gonna Be There" – 'N Sync

                       "Two Become One" – Spice Girls

                       "When You Say Nothing at All" – Allison Krauss

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 5: Paloma

The next morning, I sit in bed for what seems like hours, looking at the butterflies in my canopy. The storm is still raging outside like it won't ever stop. Mamma comes into my room and sits down beside me. "Paloma. The airport called. Your flight has been canceled because of the storm."  
"Oh." I say languidly. She looks at me. "Don't be sad, my darling dancing doll." Then she looks at my many bags and smiles. "Get up and eat some breakfast. Theresa made pancakes for you."  
I smile at her. "I love you Mamma."  
"We all love you so much. Your father would be so proud," she says wistfully, tears glistening in her eyes.  
"I wish I knew him," I say sadly. I hug her and we sit like that for awhile.

~*~ 

The storm hasn't stopped by the time I'm done eating and showering. I dress myself in the light, fluttering white dress I wore when I first met Jake and curl my black hair. When he rings the doorbell and I open it, I notice he's not wet. There's a faint white glow around his body. His breath catches when he sees me and I smile. I have just turned seventeen and I've never felt so wonderful, but so sad. "Are you ready? Follow me." I tell him.  
"Where are you taking me?" He asks as we walk along the beach, a drop of the rain never touching us. I lead him down many pathways with pink stone markers to the cove by the sea only Jessica and I know about. "It's the Cove. Only Jessica and I know about it. We found it when we were little."  
"It's nice. But so dark." Jake says, and sends light into the fairly large cove. He takes me in his arms and we look at the old writings on the wall: Jessica Anne-Marie Bennett, age 9. Paloma Maria Lopez-Fitzgerald and Jessica Anne-Marie Bennett, best friends forever. Paloma, age 13. Jessica, 13. Suddenly music starts playing, like it's from the ocean, dark and menacing. But this isn't scary music, this is sweet and soft. "Dance with me, Prima. Let's dance forever and ever," Jake whispers. 

"Paloma?"  
"Yes, Jake?"  
         He's looking so intently into my eyes and then he whispers into my ear. "Are you gonna be there?" 

_If I was down, would your arms  
lift me up to higher ground  
with just the strength of your love?  
If I was lost, would I find something  
in your eyes to lead me home?  
And if it all went wrong,  
would you be there to hold?  
It's easy to be there through the good times,  
but when the times get hard,  
would you stay or walk away?_

_Are you gonna be there when the rain comes?  
Are you gonna be there with a wrong turn?  
Can you swear you'll be there with a real love?  
Are you gonna be there?  
Will you stay by my side through the bad times?  
Through whatever will be, will you still be mine?  
Will you stay in my life for a lifetime?  
Are you gonna be there?_

_When I need someone to hold,  
someone there for me,  
are you gonna be… in my world,  
if it should all fall down,  
will you be there,  
be there to turn it around?  
Will you still care?  
Can I depend on you  
to see me through this life?  
And if it all goes wrong,  
will you still make it right?  
It's easy to be there through the good times,  
but when the times get hard,  
will you still be by my side?_

_Are you gonna be there when the rain comes?  
Are you gonna be there with a wrong turn?  
Can you swear you'll be there with a real love?  
Are you gonna be there?  
Will you stay by my side through the bad times?  
Through whatever will be, will you still be mine?  
Will you stay in my life for a lifetime?  
Are you gonna be there?_

_When I need someone beside me,  
someone there for me,  
are you gonna be there  
with the arms to hold me?  
There with the love I need?  
(there with the love, all that I need)  
Will you be there, will you be there?  
Heart and soul, I need to know  
Are you gonna be there?  
Are you gonna still care?  
Are you gonna be… yeah  
Will you stay by my side?  
Are you gonna be mine?  
Are you gonna be there?_

_Are you gonna be there when the rain comes?  
Are you gonna be there with a wrong turn?  
Can you swear you'll be there with a real love?  
Are you gonna be there?  
Will you stay by my side through the bad times?  
Through whatever will be, will you still be mine?  
Will you stay in my life for a lifetime?  
Are you gonna be there?_

"Yes...oh....yes, Jake, I will." I breathe. "I will. Forever." Then another song comes on and I laugh softly at which song it is. 

_Candlelight and soul forever  
A dream of you and me together  
Say you believe it, say you believe it  
Free your mind of doubt and danger  
be for real, don't be a stranger  
We can achieve it, we can achieve it  
Come a little bit closer baby, get it on, get it on  
'cause tonight is the night when two become one_

_I need some love like I've never needed love before  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
I had a little love, now I'm back for more  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
Set your spirit free, it's the only way to be_

_Silly games that you were playing  
Empty words we both were saying  
Let's work it out boy, let's work it out boy  
Any deal that we endeavor  
love will bring us back together  
Take it or leave it, take it or leave it  
Are you as good as I remember baby? _  
_Get it on, get it on  
'cause tonight is the night when two become one_

_I need some love like I've never needed love before  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
I had a little love, now I'm back for more  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
Set your spirit free, it's the only way to be_

_Be a little bit wiser baby, put it on, put it on  
'cause tonight is the night when two become one_

_I need some love like I've never needed love before  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
I had a little love, now I'm back for more  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
I need some love like I've never needed love before  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
I had a little love, now I'm back for more  
(wanna make love to ya baby)  
Set your spirit free, it's the only way to be_

"I want you by my side forever, Paloma. I need you. I want you." Jake says, his breath coming faster.  
"Then take me." I say. I kiss him with all the passion in me. "Make love to me. Right here."  
He looks at me, surprised. "If it's what you want. I'm so glad I have you..." He kisses me back and picks me up, carrying me to an area of moss, laying me down and kissing up and down my neck. "I have no choice."  
I smile, and let him do what he wants with me. Our breath comes faster and soon we're undressed, caressing and kissing gently. I hear more music playing as we explore each other... 

_It's amazing how you can speak right my heart  
without sayin' a word, you can light up the dark  
try as I may I can never explain  
what I hear when you don't say a thing  
the smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
there's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me,  
the touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
you say it best when you say nothing at all._

_All day long I can hear people talking out loud,  
but when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd,  
old Mr. Webster could never define what's being said between your heart and mine,  
the smile on your face lets me know that you need me  
there's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me,  
the touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
you say it best when you say nothing at all._

_The smile on your face lets me know that you need me,  
there's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me,  
the touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
you say it best when you say nothing at all._

"I don't wanna let you go. I don't wanna ever leave. I want to stay like this with you forever and ever, never leaving your embrace." I say when we're done, wrapped up in each other's arms, Jake's lips kissing the back of my neck and my shoulders. "I love you, Jacob Andrew Standish."  
"I love you too, Paloma Maria Lopez-Fitzgerald." I turn to look at him and kiss him. We let the passion that has just ignited take over again and we surrender to each other... 


	7. Chapter 6: Jacob

if anyone's even reading this…

song credit: "Heart" – Britney Spears

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 6: Jacob

~next day~ 

I wake up, still with Poe in my arms. "Poe, wake up." I kiss her gently, and she stirs. "Poe, we have to go. We have to." 

She opens her eyes, slowly, and I can see the sadness in them. "Jake, I don't want to leave," she laments. 

"I don't either, but we have to. You have to go show the world what you're made of, and I have to go save the world." 

Prima smiles softly, but it soon fades. "Why? Why now?" 

"Because I have my full powers now. So does Charity." Then I get a telepathic message from Charity. "Jake, we have to go. There's not much time left." 

"Poe, let's go," I say, starting to get up. 

"No, Jake, don't leave me." The tears are now streaming freely down her face. 

"I'm sorry, Prima. I'm so sorry." I hold her and listen to her cry, but she doesn't see the tears that trickle down my own face. 

~*~   
(later) 

After we get dressed and head back to my house, Charity and Miguel are waiting there. "Jake, did you get my message?" 

I nod. "Yeah. But Angel, I don't want to go, not yet." 

Charity looks sadly at all of us. "We don't have a choice, Jake. We have to. The good people of the world need us." 

"Okay... I guess." We stand there, in silence, Miguel holding Angel, me holding Poe, until the phone rings. Charity goes to get it. "Hello? Oh... okay... I'll tell her, Mrs. Lopez-Fitzgerald. Thanks." She hangs up and says, "Poe, your flight leaves in four hours. You better go get ready." 

Poe looks at me. "Yeah, I guess so..." 

_Heart, I know I've been hard on you_  
_I'm sorry for the things I've put you through _  
_Before you start to break on me, _  
_or ask for sympathy, _  
_I need to make you see... _

_Oh heart, I'm not sure it's been long enough _  
_to say that what I feel is really love _  
_There's just one way to learn, _  
_sometimes we'll get hurt _  
_and right now, it's our turn... _

~*~   
(at the airport) 

"Bye, Prima," Luis says to Poe. "Take care of yourself.  Be careful. And good luck!" 

"We love you," Theresa adds. 

"Don't forget to write, mija," their mother pitches in. 

"I will," she replies. She hugs Mustard. "Girl, you better dance your heart out for me! Remember to come visit us!" Jessica tells her. 

Poe smiles. "Of course." Then she turns to Charity and me. "Guys, please be careful," she tells us. She hugs Charity, and then faces me. "Jacob, I'll never forget you." The tears that I know she's trying to swallow are starting to fall. 

"Neither will I, Paloma. Here, I have something for you." I produce a small music box. She smiles, and then opens it. Inside there's a tiny dancing ballerina. "Oh, it's beautiful. And the melody... it seems familiar, somehow..." 

_Give it time_  
_Help me through _  
_Heart, we can do this together _  
_You're__ my strength _  
_You're my soul _  
_I need you now more than ever _

_Heart, all the hurt will soon be gone, _  
_if you, if you'll just keep on being strong _  
_You will always be my friend _  
_so keep on hanging in _  
_and we'll find love again _

"I'm glad you like it," I tell her. 

"Flight 175 to New York, now boarding," the announcement sounds over the P.A. 

"That's you," Miguel says. Poe looks up at me and gives me one last kiss. "I love you, Jacob." 

"I love you, too, Paloma. Never forget that." 

"I won't." After she hugs each and every one of us one last time, she heads for the door, but not without a look back at us. We're all waving, bittersweetly, as she walks on to her plane.  I'm trying to stay strong, but I find myself shaking. 

"It's okay, Jake. She'll be okay," Charity says, trying to comfort me. "We have to be strong." 

I nod. "Okay." We watch Poe's plane take off, and then, sadly, depart for home. 

_Heart, I know I've been hard on you_  
_I'm sorry for the things I've put you through _  
_Please, don't you break on me _  
_I need to make you see _  
_it wasn't meant to be _  
_'Cause you will always be my friend _  
_so keep on hanging in _  
_and we'll find love again_


	8. Chapter 7: Paloma

song credit: "Kissing You" – Des'ree (from Romeo + Juliet)

This chapter contains some disturbing content, so be forewarned! (Plus a cameo by Charity)

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 7: Paloma (by Kara)

Dancing is now my life. I am at Julliard, dancing my heart out, never thinking of anything but the dance. I sleep, eat, think, dream dance, except those lonely nights when I think about Jacob. I haven't heard from him....I hope everything's okay. Miguel moved in with me, also waiting for word from Charity. He mopes around a lot, always listening to the same, sad song. 

~*~ 

Today I wake early and dress into my purple leotard with the ribbons that criss-cross around my torso and I go to the studio, dancing alone to the song Miguel is always listening to. I watch myself in the mirror, unaware of someone in the darkness. 

_Pride can stand a thousand trials,  
The strong will never fall.  
But watching stars without you, my soul cries.  
Heaving heart, it's full of pain.  
Oh, oh, the aching.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you, oh. _

_Touch me deep, pure and true.  
Give to me forever.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you. _

_Where are you now?  
Where are you now?  
'Cause I'm kissing you.  
I'm kissing you. Oh. _

Suddenly he comes out of the darkness, strong and dark in a black unitard with green legwarmers, each muscle of his long, supple body clearly visible. His name is Roméo Marcofziwitz, the son of my dance teacher, Madame Danielle. He watches me with dark, fiery eyes full of passion, although he knows I'm in love with someone else. He grabs me and starts to kiss me.

"No! Romey! No! NO!" I yell. "Get off me."  
"Oh, Paloma.....why can't you love me? Why?" He asks, his voice full of passion and pain.

  
_Pride can stand a thousand trials,  
The strong will never fall.  
But watching stars without you, my soul cries.  
Heaving heart, it's full of pain.  
Oh, oh, the aching.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you, oh. _

_Touch me deep, pure and true.  
Give to me forever.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you. _

_Where are you now?  
Where are you now?  
'Cause I'm kissing you.  
I'm kissing you. Oh. _

Over and over it plays, over and over. I struggle as he tears off the flimsy leotard and his unitard too. "No! Romeo! Get off me! GET OFF ME!" I cry, hitting him and trying to kick him in the place where I know he'll hurt. From this day, when I hear that song, I will think of this moment. Romeo's kisses are hard and hot, that hard male part of him jabbing into me, his eyes glassy white. I scream, hoping that someone will hear me, but no one comes. "GET OFF ME! STOP IT! STOP IT!"

"Oh, Paloma, I love you I love you I love you," he moans.

"No!" I resist, but he spends himself and leaves me sobbing alone on the floor, covering myself with the shards of my leotard. 

~*~  
(Charity)   
Way far away... the ends of the earth. 

"Jake....Jake....there's something wrong with Paloma. Something terrible has happened!" I say, waking my brother. "She's being hurt...."

"What?" He springs out of his chair, his eyes wild with fright. "What is it?" Then he puts his hands to his temples and closes his eyes. "Oh my God."  
"What can we do?"  
"I have to go. I can't let him do that to her."  
"Jake, we can't leave here. Not now," I tell him. "It's too close to the time for the battle."  
"I have to save her, okay, Charity? She's my life. I can't live without her. Would you do the same for Miguel?" he screams.  
"Go, Jake, go. Fast," she says. "Hurry." 

~*~  
(Paloma) 

_Pride can stand a thousand trials,  
The strong will never fall.  
But watching stars without you, my soul cries.  
Heaving heart, it's full of pain.  
Oh, oh, the aching.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you, oh. _

_Touch me deep, pure and true.  
Give to me forever.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you. _

_Where are you now?  
Where are you now?  
'Cause I'm kissing you.  
I'm kissing you. Oh. _

That song races over and over in my head. "No!" I scream in my sleep, nightmares about my rape. "Please, stop. Please." 

Rough hands shake me. "Baby....oh, Paloma. Wake up!" I let him turn me so I can see his face.  
"Jake? Oh, Jake. Take me away from here. Take me."  
"I will. Are you alright? Damn that bastard. Just wait until I find him...."  
"He raped me. Romey....he raped me." I say. "Take me away." 

"We have to hurry. Wake up your brother. We need your help for this battle. It's going to be a lot harder than we thought." I get dressed and he runs to wake Miguel. Jake's kisses comfort me and stop the tears running down to drip off my face. "Don't worry. I'll protect you." He whispers as we leave for the ends of the earth. 

_Pride can stand a thousand trials,  
The strong will never fall.  
But watching stars without you, my soul cries.  
Heaving heart, it's full of pain.  
Oh, oh, the aching.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you, oh. _

_Touch me deep, pure and true.  
Give to me forever.  
'Cause I'm kissing you. Oh.  
I'm kissing you. _

_Where are you now?  
Where are you now?  
'Cause I'm kissing you.  
I'm kissing you. Oh. _


	9. Chapter 8: Jacob

For all of you still reading… here's the kick-butt chapter! hehe… =D

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 8: (Jacob)

~two days later~ 

We finally make it to our little stakeout, our little corner of the world, and we're sleeping, gaining strength for our big battle. Just as I'm about to wake up, the angel appears. "It's time," she says. Charity and I are awake instantly, and we wake up everyone else. "You guys, we're going to need all our powers to defeat the evil forces," Charity begins. "So, no thinking negative thoughts. Positive thoughts only, okay?" 

We all nod. So all of us (Angel, Miguel, Poe, Noah, Aunt Grace, Father Lonigan, and the Angel Girl) troop over to our battlefield, which is a cliff, really... two cliffs in the middle of darkness. If you fall, you fall to your death. I sense the evil coming closer and closer, and before I have to go fight for the goodness of the world, I give Poe a hug. "Poe, please don't be scared. I need you here." 

"But Jake, you're up against evil. That's something to be afraid of." 

"Look, just stay here with Miguel, and you'll be fine. Don't move." I put a shield around her and Charity does the same to Miguel. "If anything, this will save you. Don't be scared. Have faith," Charity instructs. 

Miguel and Poe nod their heads in agreement. They hold on to each other just as a huge wall of flames erupts between the two enemy camps. "Prepare to meet your doom," an evil-sounding voice booms. And so, the battle begins. 

I look fiercely across the fire, and I see the forces of evil, the ones that inspire people to do wrong things: to kill, to hurt, to manipulate, to steal, to lie, to cheat, and to rape. At that last thought, rage against evil fills me, and I strike a blow at them, which sends some of the demons flying. Not all of them, though. 

Just then, I hear a strangely familiar voice, screaming, "Princess! Timmy's scared!" 

That's Tabitha's doll, I notice. I never knew he was alive. (AN: Aww… Timmy… *sniff* A moment of silence for Josh Ryan Evans… *pause* Okay back to the story) At this rate, I can't really focus on that right now, as there are demons flying around us, threatening to take Miguel and Poe. I freeze them and Charity zaps them. Noah is hard at work recruiting angels to help us, and Aunt Grace is trying to figure out where exactly the weak points of our enemies are. Just then, two figures that look like Miguel and Poe are walking up to us. They meet Charity and me. "Jake, it's me," the girl says. "Poe. I know you love me." She tries to get her hands on me, but then I hear Poe scream, "Jake! It's not me! Don't listen to her!" 

The demon suddenly turns on Poe and a bolt of lightning is coming straight for her, but I freeze the bolt two inches away from the shield. Father Lonigan takes his blessed cane and sends the bolt back at the demon, which collapses. "Thanks, Father!" I yell, over the howling wind, the raging fire, and the relentless rain. 

The angels and the demons are wrestling, and then, out of the darkness, a new figure emerges. "Let the power of goodness prevail!" she exclaims, in a loud voice. I turn and see who it is. "Mom?" I ask, bewildered. 

"That's right, Jake, I'm here. I've missed you, and Charity, and Grace," she says, pulling Angel and me into a hug. But something just doesn't seem right about her, and when I feel a pendant around her neck, like the one Charity used to have, Charity flings it off, into the darkness. The figure disappears just as soon as it arrived, but soon, my real mother emerges, right when we need her the most. "Jake, Charity," she says, "I finally get to see you two again. You're all grown up!" 

"Mom!" Charity exclaims, throwing her arms around her. "What happened to you?" 

"I can't explain right now, Angel. I'm here to help you guys." And she joins us in battling the demons of hell. 

~*~   
(hours later) 

We've managed to tackle all the little demons, with help from the angels, but now, we've got to pool all our powers together to stop the big guys. And surprisingly, I see my neighbor Tabitha. "So you are a witch!" Aunt Grace yells. "You're going to die, Tabitha. For all the things you've done to my family, you're going to pay!" A big flash of light comes from her eyes and is headed right for Tabitha. She tries to send it back, but I freeze it, and send it back to her, full force. She stumbles, but is not totally defeated. 

"Princess!" Timmy yells. "Don't hurt Timmy's Princess!" I can hear him yelling from wherever he is. But I can't listen to him. I have to destroy her. It's my destiny. 

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hits the spot where Miguel and Poe are still huddled. "Destroy Miguel and Paloma! Destroy them!" 

"Jake! What's happening?" Poe screams. "They're coming for us!" 

"I won't let them hurt you!" I yell back. Charity and I stand next to them, and as the big, huge demons approach (led by the pendant), I say to Angel, "Come on, Angel, we've got to use all the power we have." She nods and together, we push away the demons. It's not easy, though. They're really strong, and when I think that I can't hold on for much longer, Charity turns her eyes to the pendant, which is babbling things like, "Charity, come to the dark side!" and "Charity, kill Miguel!", and destroys it with just a look. The evil ones are outraged about this, and the wind comes faster, the rain harder, and the fire fiercer, as Noah and Father Lonigan help out, and the Angel Girl flying around them, sprinkling holy water on them. They start to smolder, which helps us, and we destroy two of the most horrible demons. Now there are only two people left: Tabitha and a huge, red demon, with eyes like fire. "You're never going to win against evil!" Tabitha exclaims. 

"Good always wins in the end!" Noah retorts. "There's no way you're going to beat us!" 

Tabitha gets somewhat outraged at this and sends a wall of fire around Noah, who just sprinkles it with holy water and it disappears. Charity and I look at each other while Tabitha, the demon and Noah are going at it, and we have the same thought: Kill them now. As we outstretch our hands once again, I hear Poe and Miguel yell, in unison, "We love you guys!" And somehow, that gives us more strength. Charity and I pool our powers once again and send a huge blast of light toward the huge demon. We keep sending these huge blasts, doused with holy water, until the demon says, "You can't defeat me, you imbeciles!" All of which gets me really mad, and I dig around my pockets, until I find what I'm looking for: a cross. I send the cross towards the demon and place it right over where its heart should be. With one more powerful blast from my sister, the demon moans, saying, "Tabitha, you're our only hope now," and disintegrates into ashes.

            The fire is still raging, but not as high; the wind is slowly dying down, and the storm is passing over, and all of us corner Tabitha. "I hated all of you from the very start," she begins. But we don't give her a chance to finish. I fling her to the edge of the cliff.  Charity keeps her suspended there, and Mom extracts the demon that's been inside of her for more than three hundred years. The demon booms, "I'm never going to give up! You're no match against me!" Charity just laughs. "Yeah, right." With one single zap, the demon is gone, and we've defeated all of the evil. The fire stops, the wind disappears, and the sky clears up, as we all hug each other and cry, as we've fought the biggest battle of our lives. Tabitha's body is still lying there, though, lifeless, and we see her doll scamper up to her and say, "Tabby's dead! Oh, no! What did you do to my poor Princess?" 

Charity says, "Poor doll. Oh well. It'll all work out. Now Tabitha is just a harmless old woman, so there's no threat in her, right?" She turns to Aunt Grace for confirmation. "Yes, Charity, there's nothing to worry about. Tabitha won't hurt us again." 

"But I feel sorry for Timmy. I mean, he isn't all bad," Angel tells us. "I wish there was something I could do." 

"I know!" Noah says. "Why don't you make him into a real boy? Tabitha can be his great-grandmother." 

"That's a great idea, Noah," I tell him, and Charity agrees. She lifts the doll's body up and magically transforms him into a real boy. Then she gently sets him down again. The boy is in amazement that he's actually got real hands, real feet, real skin, that he takes one of the stakes left over from the battle and gives himself a cut. Blood oozes out. But he doesn't care, he's just happy that he's a real boy. Charity smiles. "Our work here is done," she says. "Let's go home." We're about to leave for home, when all of a sudden, Poe faints. 


	10. Chapter 9: Paloma

This is a short one…

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 9: Paloma

Merciful rain comes down, warm drops falling on us, destroying the fire and the stench of death all around us. I'm so happy as I watch Charity and Jake embrace and the doll-boy comes running to hug Charity. The fright of the whole thing has destroyed me and I faint, dead away. 

~*~  
(three days later) 

I wake up to the walls of Charity and Miguel's guest room in the house where they live together on the island. The light green walls are comforting and the smell of apricots is in the air. I gaze around and see Jake looking down at me. "Prima." He whispers. "Charity! Miguel! Everyone! She's awake!" He yells. I hear footsteps on the steps but no-one enters the room.  
"What happened?"  
"You fainted. It's been three days!" He smiles at me. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah."  
"Paloma, what's wrong?" he asks.  
"Nothing," I say. Then the door opens and my whole family comes in: Sheridan and Luis with Katie and baby Noah, Theresa, Ethan, Charity, Timmy, Miguel, Mamma, Jessica, the Bennetts, and Faith Standish.  
"My baby!" Mamma says, tears spilling down her cheeks. She holds me close and rocks me back and forth, and we sit like that for a while. 

Everyone leaves but Jake. "I thought you were gone. Paloma, you just crumpled." Tears streak his face and I kiss them away.  
"I would have held on," I say. "For you."  
"Paloma, do you realize it's your birthday?"  
"It is? It's June, isn't it?"  
"Yes, you are now eighteen years old, Paloma."  
"Finally! Oh, I just want to dance, and sing, and dance, and sing, and kiss you..."  
"You'd better not dance," he warns me. "But you can do all the other stuff. Especially the last one." He smiles and flops down on my other side and we surrender again to our passion. 

A month passes, and I wake up with a weird feeling. I make my way to the bathroom and there I throw up, knowing right away what has just happened. I'm pregnant. Jake must have heard me puke, because he comes running towards me. "What's wrong?"  
"Oh...Jake. I'm... I'm... I'm pregnant." 


	11. Chapter 10: Jacob

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 10: Jacob

"You're what?" I ask, somewhat in shock. "Are you sure?" 

Paloma nods. "I'm pretty sure." 

I sigh. "I mean, I never meant... oh, my God..." 

"Jake, it's okay. Just think. We're going to have a baby," Poe says, weakly, but smiling. 

"Or..." I trail off at the thought. "Prima, this may not be my child." 

Poe realizes the same thing I just have: that this baby might be a product of her rape. She starts to cry. "Jake, I really want this baby to be ours. But what if it isn't? What if it's..." 

I know exactly what she's thinking, and I know she doesn't want to say it, in fear that it may be true. "Don't think like that, Poe. Right now, we have to get you to a doctor. And this means no dancing for the next eight months or so." 

She frowns. "Oh, okay." I smile. "Come on, are you feeling better?" 

"Um, yeah. I think so." I help her up, and we go back into the little room that we've shared with Angel and Miguel. Charity's waiting there. "So this means we have to go, huh?" she asks, knowing everything. 

I nod. "Yeah, we'd better." 

~*~   
(back in Harmony, few days later)

"Oh, it feels so good to be back home!" Poe exclaims, as she twirls around on the beach. I smile. "You missed it, huh?" 

"Sure did." Just then, Jessica appears. "Jess!" Poe and I yell, as she runs and hugs us. "Oh, my gosh! I missed you guys so much! I'm so glad everything is good in the world," she says. "Even Kay is acting like a human being and she's leaving Miguel and Charity alone. And she's paying more attention to Reese," she adds, a bit melancholy. 

"Oh, Jess, I'm sorry," Poe tells her. "I know how much you like him." 

"I'll see if there's anything I can do, Jess," I encourage her. "I'd do anything for my best cousin." 

Jessica smiles. "Come on, you guys, I have to take you home so that we can catch up and everything! Let's go!" We all head over to the Bennett house and head in. Aunt Grace and my mom are reminiscing, as they both got their full memories back.  Chief Bennett is talking to Noah, and Charity and Miguel are in the living room, talking with my mom and Aunt Grace. We find an empty spot in the crowded living room and sit down and catch up. Pretty soon, when everyone else has left the room, we get around to telling Jessica our news. "Jess, we've got something to tell you," Poe says, smiling. 

"What is it?" she replies, excitedly. "Is it good news?" 

"You could call it that," I tell her. "Well... Poe's going to have a baby." 

Jessica's eyes widen. "What? Are you serious?" 

Poe nods. Jess hugs her and says, "I'm so happy for you guys! I mean, even though y'all are a bit young..." she winks, "I know you two are good people." 

But we don't say anything, because Jess doesn't know about that bastard that raped Poe. And then... the front door opens, and in breezes a tall, muscular guy, with dark hair, and dark eyes. I know instantly it's Romeo. Poe's eyes widen in fear, and Jess just looks confused. I turn to them and say, "Don't worry, guys, I'll protect you. Jessica, whatever you do, don't let Poe out of your sight." Jess nods and the two best friends cling on to each other. 

"I'm here for Paloma," he tells me.

"Like hell you're going to take her," I reply. "I will never forgive you for what you did to her." 

"But she's carrying my baby, and I deserve that." 

"No you don't! You're just a selfish, greedy pig!" Rage fills me and without touching him, I throw him against a wall, and keep him pinned. "You don't want to mess with the likes of Jacob Standish. Not after I rid the world of all evil." 

His eyes widen. "How... how did you do that?" he says, looking around and wondering why he can't get down. 

"It doesn't matter. You're never going to come near Prima again, I'll make sure of that. I'm never going to forgive you for what you did to her. And you don't know that the baby is yours," I say, smirking. "But I do." 

"Jake, you do?" Poe asks. 

I turn. "I know. But I'm not—" I'm cut off by the guy tackling me. I push him off and start to punch him. "How dare you!" I yell. "You deserve all you're getting. And once your mother finds out what you've done, you'll be kicked out of Julliard." 

"How do you know all of this about me? I haven't even met you before." 

"Romey, he's got powers. I suggest you stay away from him... and me," Poe says, fiercely. 

"But I can't," he says, stumbling up. "I love you, Paloma." 

"I don't!" she yells, as he's coming towards her. "I love Jake!" 

He turns around and lunges for me, but I make him levitate. And then I send him out the door, so hard that I can feel the thud of him landing on the cement walkway, on his back. Jessica is standing there in amazement, while Poe is crying. "Poe, don't cry," I tell her, hugging her. "It's okay. He won't bother us anymore." 

"How do you know that?" Jessica asks. 

"You'll see." I smile smugly. 

~*~

A few weeks later, we're watching the news, when all of a sudden, there's a piece about Romeo. "The son of world-renowned teacher Danielle Marcofziwitz has been paralyzed from the waist down, and also has been charged with rape. He is to spend life in prison." 

I look over at them. "Didn't I say so?" 


	12. Chapter 11: Paloma

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 11: Paloma

The incident with Romeo has left me frightened but I know I must go to him. "Let me go with you," Jake says.  
"No. This is a battle I need to fight myself." I tell him. "I'll be fine. Don't worry....I'm only three months into my pregnancy anyway."  
"Be careful," he warns me.  
"I will." I kiss him goodbye and get into my car.

~*~

The drive to the school is long and boring. I sing along with the radio and talk to my family on my phone, imagine what my baby will look like, if it'll be a girl with dark hair or a boy with light hair. I smile at the thought, hoping it'll be a girl so I can teach her to dance. I park my car in the parking lot and quietly go inside to the room where Madame Danielle taught. Sure enough, there she is. She smiles brightly to see me. "Paloma! My darling! Have you come back to dance?" I'm sure she's unaware that her son, her precious baby, raped me in this very room.  
"No, Madame, I am, as most of you already know, pregnant. This is the very room your son, Madame, raped me in. But this is not his child. Do you know where I can find your son?"  
She looks shocked. "Oh, Paloma, forgive me, I did not know. He is in his room."  
"Thank you." I say, and walk out of the now silent room. 

I find Romey in his bed, looking forlorn and lost, not the arrogant, handsome, muscular dancer man I remember. "Paloma! Have you come back to me?"  
"No. Romey, look at me for the last time. You deserve what you get, and I hope you haven't done what you did to me to some other naive girl. You won't ever see the child....even if it isn't yours. I never want to see you again. Ever."  
He sighs. "But I looove you."  
"So what? I don't love you."  
"You could learn."  
"NO!" I shout, and run out, slamming the door behind me. 

~*~

The baby inside me is growing larger every day. I'm allowed to do small dance exercises until I'm in my 5th month. Jake is always there, wondering if I'm okay, if I need anything. The months pass quickly, and soon my baby is due any day. I'm uncomfortable and irritable, and I spend my time choreographing ballet. It's February 14th, Valentine's Day, when I go into labor and I'm rushed to the hospital. 

"Things don't look so good," the doctor says. "It will be difficult for Paloma as she's so young. We may have to do a C-section."  
"Will they both be okay?"  
"They should be."  
"Anything....just don't let anything happen," Jake pleads. "We'll stay here as long as we need to."  
The doctor leaves the room and Jake sits by me, smoothing my hair. "You'll be okay. Don't worry."  
"Oh, Jake...I can't do this. I can't," I cry.  
"Just think about the baby....the baby. You can teach the baby to dance. Think about that. You can pursue your dance career again, maybe run a dance school."  
"Yes..." I say.  
"Okay, Paloma, okay. Now push. Hard." The doctor comes back into the room. "This is the critical time."  
I brace myself but push with all my might. I try to hold back my screams but I can't keep them in. "Just one more. C'mon, honey..." he says. I give one final push and fall back with exhaustion when the baby leaves me.  
"It's a girl!" The doctor announces, holding a small, dark-haired baby girl, screaming her lungs out.  
"Oh my God," I whisper. The nurses weigh her and do all the necessary things, and then they return her to me. "She's perfect."  
"She is. What are you going to name her?" Jake asks as I study the little features almost identical to mine. "She looks exactly like you."  
"Her name is going to be Andrea. Andrea Hope. But I'm going to call her Angel."  
"That's exactly what she is," Jake agrees, and we sit there for a while, looking at our precious baby girl. 

~*~

"Where's my granddaughter?" a loud, male voice with Irish tones almost yells. I look up to see a tall, muscular man with dark blue eyes and brown hair. I know instantly who it is.  
"Paloma!" he cries.  
"Oh my God. Pappa?"  
"It's me," he says. "Martin Fitzgerald. You didn't ever notice, did you? Your math teacher? Martin Franklin? At Juilliard?"  
"No. Never. Oh my God! Does Mamma know you're back? Or Luis? Miguel? Theresa? Have you seen their kids?"  
"No. You mean, I have more than one grandchild?" He walks up to me and looks down at Angel, sleeping in my arms. "Congratulations. Looks like you when you were born."  
"She does," I agree.  
"Congratulations to you, young man. Martin Fitzgerald."  
"Jacob Standish." Jake shakes my father's hand and returns to his chair.  
"May I come... oh Lord." Mamma takes one look at my father and runs to him. "Martin! Martin! Oh, Martin!" He catches her and swings her around.  
"My Pilar Lopez! My Spanish Rose!" He whoops, and they kiss. "I had to leave. The Cranes were going to take everything from us if I didn't."  
"Do you know of Antonio?"  
"No. I heard from him once, and he was a successful manager of a stock company in New York. He'd seen Paloma dance."  
The rest of my family comes in and Luis just about jumps into Pappa's arms. Katie and Noah hide their faces shyly behind Sheridan's legs, but my father smiles at them. "Hello. I'm your grandpa. Who are you?"  
"I'm Noah!" Noah says proudly. "That's my sister, Katie. She looks like my mommy. That's my mommy."  
"Hello, Noah. Miss Katie, how are you?"  
"Fine," she says softly, her blonde hair waving. Charity and Miguel open the door, their twins, Skylar and Aiden, in their arms. Aiden carries his toy phone for talking to his "sweeties" in his plump one-and-a-half year old arms. Everyone is so busy hugging and kissing, the kids, Skylar, Aiden, Katie, Noah, Theresa and Ethan's Tyler and Emily, playing on the floor, my father talking to his grandchildren, everyone cooing over Angel, at last, at last, I'm finally happy. I smile at Jake. "Isn't life wonderful?"  
"Yes, it is." He smiles back and me and we look at my mother, gazing at her granddaughter and smiling.  
"Hey, Aiden, who you talking to?" Miguel asks, looking proudly at his twins.  
"Sweeties!" Aiden cries.  
"The ladies' man!" Pappa says. "Gets that from his dad and his uncle."  
"And his grandfather," Mamma says. She hugs him and we all look at each other, a family again. 


	13. Chapter 12: Jacob

Meant to Be Together

Chapter 12: Jacob

           "And then, you twirl around, like this, see?" Prima teaches little Katie and Emily a basic pirouette. I'm holding my little Angel, who's intently watching her mother. At one and a half months old, she's the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen, and she looks exactly like her mother. 

"Good! Now, jump, like this," Poe continues, demonstrating a tour jete. Emily and Katie try, but they can't seem to do it right. "No, no, like this." As she instructs them, I smile. Seeing all of her family here makes me wonder about my father. I mean, I never remembered him, and neither did Angel (the older one, that is).  

After Katie and Emily are done with their ballet lesson, I leave Angel, who is now sleeping, with her aunt Angel. "Charity, can you watch Angel for a bit?" 

"Sure, Jake." Charity takes my daughter from me and smiles. "I still can't get over how pretty she is." 

I suddenly pull a camera out and snap a picture. "Jake, what was that for?" Poe and Charity ask, in unison. 

"I just wanted a picture of my two favorite Angels." 

Poe smiles. I smile back. "Come on, Prima, I've got somewhere to take you." 

"Really? Where?" she asks, a twinge of excitement in her eyes. 

          "It's a surprise." 

~*~

          I take Poe down to the cove, the spot where we made love for the first time, maybe where Angel was conceived. It's illuminated by candles and roses, pink ones (Paloma's favorite). She gasps. "Jake, this is so beautiful!" 

          "I'm glad you like it. Prima," I begin, taking her hand, "we've come a long way together. I never knew we'd come this far." 

"But we have. And we have a beautiful baby Angel." 

I smile. "Yes, we do. And all of our family. You know what?" 

"What?" Paloma's blue eyes sparkle in the candlelight. 

"You know, from the moment I first caught you in my arms, I knew we were meant to be together," I tell her. "And it's true. We've been through armageddon and back, plus other horrendous things." 

Poe lowers her head. I know she knows I'm talking about her rape. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," I continue on, lifting her chin up. "So that's why I have to ask you this question." I kneel down on one knee and pull out a simple diamond ring, and Poe gasps. "I love you. I don't ever want to be separated from you ever again. Paloma Maria Lopez-Fitzgerald, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" 

"Yes! Oh, yes, Jacob, I will marry you!" she nearly shouts. I smile, pick her up, twirl her around, and set her back down. "Prima, you have made me the happiest man alive." We kiss, in celebration of our new engagement, and then, she says, "We have to get back. Angel's probably awake now." 

I nod. "Okay." As we head back for home, hand in hand, I see a man on the beach. He looks cold, so I say to Poe, "Why don't we take this guy home? He looks like he's hungry and needs some rest." 

"Jake, I don't know..." Poe hesitates. 

"Trust me," I tell her. "It's going to be okay." Then I walk up to the man and say, "Excuse me, sir, but I noticed that you look a bit tired and cold. Would you like to come home with my fiancée and me?" I ask. "We'd be more than happy to take you in." 

The man turns around, and I gasp. I know exactly who this is, and Poe sees it too. "Jake, he looks like you." 

I nod. The man says, "Thank you. I haven't had anything to eat in days." We lead him home, and my mother answers the door. When she sees the man we have brought home, she gasps. "Matthew? Is that you?" 

"Faith? Oh, my goodness, it is you!" The man sweeps my mom into a huge hug and asks, "How are Charity and Jacob?" 

"Actually, Jake's the one that took you home," my mom says. "He's right there." She motions towards Poe and me. 

"Oh, my goodness," Matthew breathes. "You're all grown up! Do you know who I am?" he asks. 

"You're my dad." I know right then that this is my father. I rush and give him a huge hug. "Dad, what happened? Why can't Charity or I remember you?" 

"Charity? My angel is here?" 

"She sure is," a voice sounds from behind us. I turn to find my two Angels there. "Jake, Angel's awake, and she's been whimpering for her parents," Charity tells us. She hands Angel to Poe and the two of them go into the living room, leaving my complete family. "Dad, I missed you," Charity says, hugging our father. "Now we're a family, too." The four of us smile, and then Charity tells me, "Congrats, Jake. I'm happy for you." 

"Thanks, Charity." She knows everything I have to tell her even before I tell everyone. We walk into the living room and see Skylar, Aiden, Katie and Emily playing in one area, and on the other side of the room, Noah and Tyler fighting over some toy. I just smile. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make," I tell everyone in the room. Sheridan, Luis, Theresa, Ethan, Miguel, Aunt Grace, Mom, Dad, and Paloma's parents look at me. Poe smiles and comes to join me, while Charity nods in encouragement. "Well, Prima and I are going to be married soon," I tell them. Poe flashes her engagement ring and everyone is surrounding us, congratulating us; hugs and kisses are going around, and the little ones are fidgety, wondering what's gotten all their mothers and fathers so excited. 

"Oh, I forgot to mention that my father is home. Everyone, this is my father, Matthew Standish. Dad, these are all Paloma's brothers and sisters, their spouses and their children, and those two are your grandchildren," I say, pointing to Skylar, who's trying to mimic Katie and Emily, and Aiden, with his "Sweeties" routine. "Oh yes, this little one is your granddaughter, too." I take Angel from Poe and she yawns and rubs her eyes. "Angel, meet your grandfather," I whisper. "Dad, this is Andrea Hope, also known as Angel." 

"She's a precious one," my father says, stroking Angel's cheek gently.  "Kind of reminds me of Charity when she was a baby." 

I smile and look out at my whole extended family. I feel so blessed to have everyone I love... and more... here with me. After all the commotion, and when all the little ones are put to sleep, Poe comes up to me and I put an arm around her. "Look, Prima. Look how lucky we are. You know I think we were all meant to be together," I whisper in her ear. She nods. "I think so too." 


	14. Epilogue: Andrea aka Angel

AN: This is the epilogue, which I wrote (not Kara) and I just want to let y'all know (whoever's reading this, there seems to be no one reading this) that the prequel is up, it's called "Jacob's Story" and it tells about how he got his powers and stuff. Okay now r & r!

Meant to Be Together

Epilogue: Andrea (aka Angel)

I smooth down my dark brown wavy hair, check to see if my green eyes aren't bloodshot from the long flight, and take a deep breath before I ring the doorbell. My little sister Rachel answers it. "Angel! You're back!" she greets me, hugging me. "Mom, Dad, Angel's back! 

I walk into my childhood home and look around, marveling over how it hasn't changed at all. Then I hear a familiar voice say, "There's my Angel!" My father comes down the stairs. 

"Daddy!" I rush to hug him. "I missed you!" 

"Oh, so did we," he tells me, referring to himself and my mother. "Your mom's upstairs. Let's go surprise her." So we tiptoe up the stairs, and there, I see my beautiful mother, humming to herself as she stitches up an outfit for Rachel. "Mom," I say softly. "It's me." 

My mother turns around. "Angel! You're back!" She hugs me and I say, "Mom, I missed you. I mean, I was having so much fun as a singer, but I needed to come home." 

"Yes, you did," my dad teases. "You were really starting to hit it big, you know that? Obsessed guys are starting to come to our house and pick the grass," he tells me. "That's why we have the fence up." 

"Really?" I ask. "Am I really that popular?" 

"See for yourself," my mother tells me. She leans over and turns on the radio, and I hear my remake of LeAnn Rimes' "I Need You." 

"We told you," Rachel says, entering the room. "Angel, I missed you too. I don't have a big sister to talk to anymore." 

"Oh, Rach, I'm sorry. But I will be here for at least a month, okay? So you have me all to yourself." 

"Okay, Angel!" She darts out as quickly as she pranced in. "Mom, how's Rachel and her dancing lessons?" I ask. 

"Oh, she's getting better and better." 

"She reminds me so much of you," my dad fondly says to my mom. "I remember when you used to dance all the time." 

"Yeah, so do I... and then Angel came along." 

I smile. "How was I when I was little?" 

"Oh, you were absolutely adorable," my mother tells me. "You were never fussy, always a quiet baby. Here, look." She pulls out an old-looking but sturdy photo album and opens it. The first picture I see is of a blond girl, about my age now, and a little baby. "That's you and your aunt Charity," my dad says. "My two Angels." 

I turn a few more pages and then see my father and mother, all dressed up. "Mom, Dad, was this your wedding day?" I ask them. 

My mother looks over my shoulder. "Yes, it is," she replies, looking lovingly at my father. 

"Tell me about it," I prompt them. "I want to know what it was like." 

::Flashback: Jacob:: 

          _"Ladies and gentlemen, I now present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Standish. You may now kiss the bride," Father Noah (my cousin) instructs me. And I do. I lean down and seal my marriage to Paloma. I hear applause, and as Poe and I walk down the aisle, now husband and wife, I smile at everyone: Poe's bridesmaids, Theresa, Charity, Sheridan, and her maid of honor, Jessica; the groomsmen, Luis, Reese, Ethan, and my best man, Miguel; the flower girls, Katie, Skylar and Emily, and our ringbearer, Tyler;  my mother and father, Poe's mother and father, Poe's brother Antonio, who came for the wedding; Tabitha, and her great-grandson Timmy; Whitney, the pro tennis player, and Simone, the up and coming singer; Kay, who is in college, majoring as a lawyer, and Noah, the priest celebrating mine and Poe's marriage, and all the residents of Harmony. _

~*~   
(at the reception ~*~ Seascape Restaurant)

_ "Okay, everyone," __Chad__ Harris, our DJ for the night (he had taken a break out of his busy schedule to DJ for our reception), announced, "it's time for the first dance!" Poe and I smile at each other and I lead her out onto the dance floor. "Poe, we finally made it," I whisper into her ear, before I take her into my arms and start to dance. _

I don't need a lot of things

I can get by with nothing   
With all the blessings life can bring   
I've always needed something   
and I've got all I want when it comes to loving you   
You're my only reason   
You're my only truth

I need you like water, like breath, like rain   
I need you like mercy from heaven's gate   
There's a freedom in your arms that carries me through   
I need you

::Reality:: 

_You're the hope that moves me   
to courage again, oh yeah, yeah   
You're the love that rescues me   
when the cold winter ends   
And it's so amazing,   
'cause that's just how you are   
and I can't turn back now   
'cause you've brought me too far_

_I need you like water, like breath, like rain   
I need you like mercy from heaven's gate   
There's a freedom in your arms that carries me through   
I need you_

         As I'm singing at my parent's 20th wedding anniversary, I watch as my parents re-create their wedding dance. But this time, I'm the one singing for them. 

_Oh, yes I do   
I need you like water, like breath, like rain   
I need you like mercy from heaven's gate   
There's a freedom in your arms and it carries me through   
I need you_

"Okay, okay, I want to make a toast," my aunt Charity says, levitating up to the stage next to me. "First of all, I just want to tell everyone how happy I am that my niece and namesake Angel is back home. We missed you, sweetheart," she tells me.

"Thanks, Aunt Angel," I reply, smiling. 

"Now, I want to make a toast to my little brother and my sister-in-law. Jacob, Paloma, you know we all love you guys. I'm so proud of the both of you, and your two beautiful daughters, and I just want to wish you a happy 20th anniversary, a happy Valentine's Day, and a happy 21st birthday to Angel." 

Everyone cheers, and then my father and mother come up. "We're so happy you could be here for this, Angel. We love you." They both give me a hug, and then Rachel comes up and joins us. And I know that even if I become a world-famous singer, my home is here with my family. 


End file.
